Summer 2008

1. SUMMIT Sponsored by the Crossroads CoalitionCrittenden–Cross–Jackson–Lee–Mississippi-Monroe-Phillips-Poinsett-St. Francis-Woodruffhttp://Crossroadscoalition.org Student Community Summit Project Summer 2008

2. Goals for this Presentation • Describe the Student Community Summit Project. • Provide information about how you can become involved in the Summit. • Encourage you to participate.

3. What if Students became involved? If students get involved in addressing the needs of the counties in the Crossroads Coalition: • They will become vested in the region’s future. • They will work to make it a place of greater prosperity and well being for everyone. • They will pleasantly surprise you with what they can and will do if given: • opportunities • mentoring • support • They will generate community: • excitement • energy • enthusiasm • hope

4. What if Communities helped students become involved? Communities (business, industry and non-profit organizations) are positioned to: • Work with students in identifying possible projects based on the needs of the county and region. • Refer students to those who can help in addressing the county and regional need. • Provide some of the resources required to have a successful student project. • Offer • mentoring • assessment • encouragement

5. How does Summit work? Summit is built around the following approach: • A group of citizens within each Crossroads Coalition county • identifies specific needs within the county that might be addressed in whole or in part by students projects • These project ideas are shared with: • Public school programs such as EAST • Higher education programs such as SEED • Government/private agencies that support student involvement in community, economic, education and leadership development • Projects are: • Identified in the summer • Selected early in the school year • Completed during the school year • Reported back to the counties late in the school year • The process repeats itself the next year.

6. The Summit Calendar Project Identification Event (September) Summer for Project identification by Counties and “polishing” for community use by selected Students Fall and Spring For Project selection, research, development, and completion by Students Project Celebration Event (April)

7. The Key Summit "Players" • Each county in the Crossroads Coalition • Public Schools • EAST as one committed program • Other students groups are also invited to participate • Higher Education • colleges, universities, technical institutes • Government/private agencies • The Crossroads Coalition

8. EAST Schools in the Crossroads Coalition

9. Project Identification Event (September) Project Celebration Event (April) The Summit "Players" to date Each of the ten Crossroads Coalition Counties (Crittenden, Cross, Jackson, Lee Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips Poinsett, St. Francis, Woodruff) Higher Education UA ASU UAMS ADTEC Clinton School CRTI AAPU State & Private Agencies ASTA AEDC ADWIRED DRA EAST Entergy AR Dept of Public Health Crossroads Coalition

10. Key Dates for the Summit • March 25, 2008: Planning for Summit began • Monthly planning sessions are on the 3rd Wednesday • Summit is now in the implementation stage • On schedule but no room to spare • August 20, 2008: Goal is to have at least 100 possible projects identified by County Groups • Project possibilities will be distributed to: • Other Crossroads counties • Higher Education • Government/Private Agencies • Each of these groups will work independently in selecting projects for students but will be part of an organized network • September 17, 2008: Project Identification Event • April 15, 2009: Project Celebration Event

11. Project Identification • Minimum of ten possible projects to be identified per county • There is no set maximum number of projects • County to work with EAST lab(s) assigned to the county • Each county selects its own approach to project identification • Project Identification is to be completed by August 20, 2008 • All identified projects to be distributed electronically to: • All other Crossroads Counties • Higher Education who have committed to Summit • Government/Private agencies who have committed to Summit

12. Project Characteristics • Requires that students use a level of creativity, research and development • Requires that students use a level of project management • Should allow for enough flexibility so that students can utilize some upper level decision making during the project identification and development phase • Students and communities should both benefit. • Are not to be geared around “cheap labor” or “free consulting” • May cover a wide range of topics • May be targeted towards: • Public school students and/or • Technical, college or university students

13. Project Description • To follow the Summit “template” regarding key information • Defines the project in general terms rather having a lot of detail as to what needs to be accomplished and when • Includes at least one example of a “deliverable” from the project

14. General Project Areas • Can cover a broad range of topics • Generally correspond to the categories in the Crossroads Coalition Asset and Resource Library (CARL): • Agriculture, Business and Industry • Culture, Recreation and Tourism • Demographics • Education • Environment and Natural Resources • Health and Social Services • Housing and Community Services • Leadership and Political Boundaries • Transportation, Logistics and Infrastructure

15. Beautification Community services Downtown revitalization Emergency services GIS Grant writing Industrial parks Literacy Oral history Parks Recycling Street planning Sustainability Video Virtual tours Workforce Other Possible areas of focus for projects

16. Potential Summit Students • Public school students • Technical school students • Undergraduate students • Any major depending on project • Any level depending on project • Graduate students • M.S. • Ph.D. • Any area depending on project

17. Types of Summit Courses and Settings • Public school students as part of the EAST program or similar activity • Undergraduate, Graduate or Technical School students enrolled in: • Regular classes that require student projects • Special problems courses • Independent study courses • Thesis, dissertation and/or other special research course • Internships

18. Other Considerations • Not all projects identified will be implemented • Only part of a proposed project may be selected • Funding of particular projects will vary project by project, depending upon support available • Project ideas will carry over from one year to the next as part of an electronic database • At some point, the student group and the contact for a particular project will work together to implement the project • All who participate in Summit will have access to all the projects that have been proposed • Some projects may end up as “regional projects” • Projects are not to be “mission critical”

19. Opportunities for the Crossroads Coalition • Build and support the future of the county, region and state by working directly with students. • Build the assets of the community, county, region and state at relatively low cost. • Be part of a new national model for broad-based development in rural communities. • Be part of something good as well as rewarding!

20. Supporters of the Crossroads Coalition need your help! Pictures taken at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the Crossroads Coalition

21. Where your help is needed • Identifying possible student projects in your county • Working directly with a student project as a • Lead contact • Mentor • Evaluator • Working with the Crossroads Coalition planning group • Sponsoring student projects based on your individual interests concerning • A certain location • A topic, need or focus of special interest • A particular student group that is involved

22. Contact Information about Summit • County Group Leader/Members • Web Information: • http://CrossroadsCoalition.edu • Personal Contact • Otto J. Loewer, UAEDI Director/Professor • Office: 479-575-5118 • Email: OJL@uark.edu • Ron Hardy, EAST HQ • Office: 501-371-5016 • Email: ron@eastproject.org

23. SUMMIT Student Community Summit Project Questions?